Consolidating Spain as a Global Growth Engine: Interview with Fernando Bódalo - General Manager, Haleon, Spain

Conversation highlights:

• Introducing Fernando as a New Generation of Pharma executives. 
• Spain as a growth engine: Returning home after 15+ years abroad, Fernando aims to accelerate Haleon Spain’s strong momentum and develop the next generation of Spanish leaders. 
• Why invest in Spain: Spain offers the “best of both worlds”: a mature, stable market with proven high growth, strong manufacturing, and low volatility. 
• Key consumer-health trends: Rising desire for self-care but low “health literacy,” an ageing population with more spending power, and a retail landscape where channels increasingly overlap.  
• Closing the health-literacy gap: Haleon focuses on empowering pharmacists, training consumers (especially older adults), and working with associations and authorities to reduce pressure on the public health system.  
• Leaders of the future: Fernando looks for people who are “comfortable in the uncomfortable” and who lead with both brain and heart, balancing data-driven decisions with empathy, humanity, and strong values. 

‍EF: What attracted you to this position, and what mission did you set for yourself? What do you want to achieve in Spain? 

FB: There is a very important personal side to this role. After more than 15 years away from Spain, returning to my home country and having the opportunity to lead a world-class consumer health company is both a significant responsibility and a source of enthusiasm. I approach this opportunity with a sense of duty and a genuine desire to contribute positively. It is a great industry with great opportunities and good health, and being part of such a respected company is truly motivating. 

I am fortunate to join an organization that is in excellent shape, with a strong track record in recent years. We are working to consolidate Spain as a global growth engine for Haleon. My mission is to help take this to the next level, accelerating our progress and transforming our current momentum into something truly sustainable over the long term.  

All of this begins with building the right organization. Another important mission for me is to help develop the next generation of leaders in Spain. I remember one of the first things I heard from the team when I arrived was that I was the first Spanish general manager they had ever met. I believe this should not be the norm, and I see it as my responsibility to help nurture future leaders so that, when the time comes for me to move on, there is someone ready to take over. 

EF: What is your pitch to HQ to attract resources? Why is a euro invested in Spain better than a euro invested elsewhere? 

FB: There are several elements to consider. On the one hand, Spain is a very mature market, with somewhat slower growth potential compared to other regions. However, when you have a proven, well-established business model and a consistent track record of growth over the last three years, it becomes a very compelling proposition. 

In addition, Spain offers all the advantages of a developed market: macroeconomic stability, manufacturing excellence, sustainable competitive advantages, and effective use of technology. All of this makes Spain a highly attractive place to invest, because you can get the best of both worlds, as it combines the growth potential you might expect from high-growth markets with the benefits of Western Europe—stability, predictability, reliability, and lower macroeconomic volatility.  

EF: What trends do you see in the market? Where is consumer health going? 

FB: It is clear that consumers are increasingly seeking greater ownership of their everyday health. Interestingly, our data shows a significant gap between their desire to take more control of their health and their actual ability to do so, even in mature markets with high levels of education, such as Spain. Many consumers still lack the information needed to make informed decisions about their health. 

This is an important trend for us to address as a global leader in consumer healthcare, as well as for the industry and society as a whole. The key question is how to build health literacy and empower consumers to be more independent in managing their health, thereby helping to reduce pressure on public healthcare systems. 

Another major trend is the ageing population, which is reshaping the industry’s dynamics. We now see more consumers in later stages of life who have greater economic independence than previous generations. This is influencing how companies and brands focus their efforts to deliver the next stage of growth. 

From a retail perspective, it is a fascinating time. The boundaries between trade channels are increasingly blurred, and consumers move from pharmacies to e-commerce, to grocery stores, to parapharmacies. In our industry, having a well-connected commercial strategy that enables sustainable growth across all the places where consumers choose to shop is essential. This is one of the industry’s challenges, especially when generating value across segments with very different dynamics, from hard discounters to traditional community pharmacies. 

It is also important to remember that macroeconomic indicators may suggest stability and growth, but the reality for families can be quite different. We have a responsibility to understand our consumers’ real situations. For example, while economic data may look positive, many families are facing increasing financial pressures. Latest data show that the average family in Spain spends more than 40 percent of their monthly salary on housing. This past summer, we observed people shortening their vacations and reducing their spending on each shopping trip. We must keep these realities in mind as we evolve our offerings to address consumer needs in their day-to-day lives, both from a family and economic perspective. 

EF: How is Haleon working to close the gap between consumers’ desire to manage their everyday health and their actual ability to do so? 

FB: Our priority is working with healthcare professionals. Pharmacists, in particular, are the first line of care for consumers and patients, providing essential guidance and information. We are very active in supporting pharmacies with training, materials, and scientific content to help them fulfill this role. This is fundamental to reducing pressure on healthcare systems. 

It is also very rewarding for us, as working closely with pharmacies gives us invaluable insights into patients’ needs, preferences, and perceptions of our products. These insights directly inform our innovation pipeline and help us better serve consumers. 

The second focus is on consumers themselves. We have a responsibility to promote health literacy among our customers. In recent years, we have become very active in this area, especially through training and educational workshops for older adults on health literacy in the digital world. 

Our goal is to help consumers become more comfortable accessing reliable information and understanding what to trust when making everyday health decisions. This initiative began a couple of years ago in a city near Madrid, where we have our manufacturing site in Alcalá de Henares, and it has grown steadily since then. This year, we have reached eight cities across the country, with participation increasing to 1.000 people. Big changes often start small, and this is a good example of building impact over time. 

This dual approach, supporting healthcare professionals and educating consumers, is very important. The third layer, where industry associations like AENEFP can play a greater role, is partnering with authorities to advance a common agenda and create broader societal impact. It is in everyone’s interest to empower consumers to make more independent everyday health choices, thereby reducing pressure on the healthcare system. 

Industry associations can help by representing the sector and engaging in constructive dialogue with legislators and health authorities, for example, regarding new medicines laws or European directives. These are the three levers we use to advance this agenda. 

EF: What do you look for in the leaders of the future? What kind of people are you shaping? 

PF: Without wishing to oversimplify, I believe two qualities are becoming increasingly important in our industry. They have always mattered, but are especially critical now. 

The first is being comfortable “in the uncomfortable”. People who embrace challenges, seek out opportunities to grow, and are not discouraged when taken out of their comfort zone tend to develop more rapidly and take on greater responsibilities. In a world where the pace of change has accelerated so much in a decade—driven by disruptive forces such as AI, evolving trade landscapes, and new regulations—this quality is more important than ever. 

The second quality, which may seem basic but is equally vital, is the ability to balance intellect and empathy, brain and heart. As more work is assisted or enabled by AI, maintaining our humanity is essential. At Haleon, we are proud of our purpose to deliver every day with humanity. It is not just about understanding consumers’ medical conditions, but also about understanding their experiences in a deeper, more human way, the impact on their daily lives, how they socialize, how they feel, and how they pursue their aspirations or face their challenges. 

The same applies to our work environment. As processes become more automated and data-driven, leaders must combine analytical skills and speed with empathy and emotional intelligence. This balance will become even more important, and while it may seem counterintuitive, it will be a critical factor for the success of future leaders. 

EF: Is there any final message you would like to share? Looking at the future, what trends do you see? What is your vision, and where are you taking Haleon and Spain? 

PF: At Haleon, we are uniquely positioned to make a difference in the healthcare industry because we are the only consumer company truly specialized in everyday better health. While many companies offer healthcare products, they are often diversified across different sectors. Our exclusive focus on consumer healthcare gives us a distinct advantage in terms of expertise and capability. 

All our people, research, investment, and innovation are dedicated to delivering better everyday health solutions to consumers. In Spain, it has been remarkable to see how we have transformed this unique positioning into a business model that enables sustainable growth, balancing volume and value, and driving penetration in our core categories rather than simply expanding into adjacent ones. 

Our customers and consumers are rewarding us for creating a value-generating model for both retailers and consumers, which is becoming increasingly distinctive. If I were to share a final thought, it would be one of gratitude to all our commercial partners, with whom we are building ever-stronger relationships based on trust, and to all the consumers who place their confidence in our brands. Our products are used by millions and recommended by healthcare professionals. I am genuinely optimistic about the future of Haleon in Spain, thanks to this unique corporate positioning.